Tobacco-stripper.



F. SALOMON.

TOBACCO STRIPPBR.

APPLIoATIoN FILED oo1.5,1eoa.

Patented Sept. 19,1911.

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YI sssss P. SALOMON.

ToBAeoo STRIPPBR.

APPLICATION PILIED 00125, 1908.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

coLuMmA PLANoanAPn co..wAsmNl.lr0N. u. c.

s F. SALOMON.

TOBACCO STBIPPER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.5, 190B. v 'V 1,003,951 Y Patented sept. 19, 1911.

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F. SALOMON.

TOBAGGO STRIPPER. I APPLICATION FILED 0UT.5,1008. 1,003,95 1 Patentedsept. 19, 1911.

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` F. SALOMON.

TOBACCO STRIPPER. APPLICATION FILED 00T.5,1908.

Patented sept. ,19, 1911.

SHEETS-SHEET 5.

y?? IESBES COLUMBIA PLANOUIAPN co., WASNINWON. D- C..

Patented Sept. 19,1911.

'. SALOMON.

TOBACCO STRIPPBR.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.5,190B. 1,003,95 1.

COLUMBIA PLANouIAPH co..\vAmNnrnN. D. C.

I'. SALOMON.

TOBACCO STRIPPBR.

APPLIoATIoN Hmm ooT.s,`19os.

Patented Sept. 19,1911.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

WII' QBBEE5 COLUMBIA PLA-NOUN?" 0WA1HINUTON, D. C.b

F. SALOMON.

TOBACCO STBIPPER.

APPLICATION IILED 00T.6,1008. 1,003,951 Patented sept.- 19,1911.

8 SHEETS-BEEF! 8.

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'W1- gyms ITEM-F vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK SALOMON, 0F LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

TOBACCO-STRIPPER.

To all whom tt may concern.

Be it known that I, FREDERICK SALOMON, subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, in theKingdom of England, have 4invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Tobacco-Strippers, for which application has been made in GreatBritain, N o. 22,102, dated October 7, 1907.

This invention has for its object to construct a simple and effectivemachine for stemming and shredding tobacco leaves, and to these areadded the actuating mechanism by which the several devices are made tooperate in unison and at proper intervals to constitute an automaticmachine.

In my application for United States patent, filed December 28th, 1906,Serial No. 349,914, I have set forth the idea that the removel of thestems from tobacco leaves may be accomplished by means of a straightedge or templet embodying two straight ribs or traveling bands with anarrow space between just wide enough for the folded web of the leaf topass, but too narrow to admit of the stern passing through. These ribsor traveling bands were longitudinal and by feedingthe leaveslongitudinally and at the same time drawing the leaves laterally bybrushes mounted at an angle, the stem of the leaf was drawn against theribs or bands, which thus formed a straight edge or guide, so that thestems of the leaves were brought accurately in line and cut off with aclean straight cut by cutters.

In the present invention, I adhere to the same principle, but I placethe ribs or traveling bands that hitherto formed a straight edge orguide, diagonally, and I feed the leaves longitudinally so that theirstems come against the diagonal ribs or bands which thus deflect thestem or divert it out of its normal line of travel into another line oftravel, different from its former line of travel. The result is, thatthe stem as it runs in contact with the deiiecting device, (is movedlaterally or deflected, and consequently the web of the leaf isstretched by the lateral pull Vof the stems, and the stems are allbrought into line, and presented to the cutter device, which severs thestem from the leaf. This I find in practice is a very simple andeconomical method of effecting the object in view, and forms a distinctimprovement on my previous invention.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 5, 1908.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911. serial No. 456,186.

This invention will be understood from the following description,reference first being had to the diagrammatic views of the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the device in which the leaf isfolded on the line of its stem. Fig. 2 is a similar View to Fig. 1, theleaf being shown in an open position. Fig. 3 is a plan, and Fig. 4 anelevation of a machine for stemming tobacco leaves, constructed inaccordance with my invention, and in which the leaf is folded along theline of its stem. Fig. 5 is a sectional end view on line 1-2 of Figs. 8and 4 showing the deflecting plate. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of thelirst pair of rollers and cutters of the shredding device. Fig. 7 is aside elevation of a modification showing brushes arranged below insteadof a belt below. Fig. 8 is a cross section through the deflectors. Figs.9 and 10 are a plan View and elevation of the machine in which the leafis not folded along the line of its stem, this machine having beltsbelow and brushes above the web of the leaf. Fig. 11 is a side elevationof the complete machine for treating unfolded leaves, this machinehaving brushes below as well as above the web of the leaves. Fig. 12 isa sectional plan view through the upper brushes on the line 3-4 of Fig.11. Fig. 13 is a vert-ical section through the lines 5-6 and 7 8 of Fig.12 but with the two sets of brushes separated. Fig. 14 is an enlargedview of the entrance to the rst deflectors. Fig. 15 is a verticalsection through line 9-10 of Fig. 12. Fig. 1G is a vertical sectionthrough line 11-12 of Fig. 12. Fig. 17 is a vertical cross section online 13-13 of Fig. 11; and Fig. 18, is an elevation of the feed end ofthe machine.

Referring to Fig. 1, the leaves 1 folded on their stems are fed forwardin any suitable manner longitudinally. 2 is a deflecting device locatedobliquely to the longitudinal travel of the leaves, and arranged to actas a deflector for the stems 3 of the leaves, while forming no obstacleto the web 1 of the leaves passing freely. This defiector can bearnanged in various ways. For example, it might consist of twostationary plates or rods, placed one above the other, with a narrowspace between, or of two moving endless bands forming a moving guide, orof a stationary plate and moving band in such manner as to act as adefieetor for the stems 3 of the leaves, while forming no obstacle tothe webs 1 of the leaves passing freely between, or under it ashereinafter described. The deiiecting device is however so arranged,that the space for the passage of the web can be adjusted to enable thethinner part of the stem to pass, together with the whole of the web, orprevent it doing so, but in any case prevent the thicker part of thestem from passing through. In connection with this oblique deflectingdevice I provide cylindrical brushes or` feeding rollers, not shown inthis diagrammatic view, the axes of which are at right angles .to thetravel of the belt or other device that carries the leaveslongitudinally. a is a gage or fence at the feeding end of the machine.5 circular' serrated rotating cutters at the opposite end of t-hedeflecting device, and it will be noticed that the fence bar t and thecutter 5 though approximately parallel, are not in line with each other.

The mode of action is as follows Each leaf 1 is carried alonglongitudinally and passes in turn through the open space allowed by thedeflector 2, and in due time one end of the stems 3 of the leaves insuccession, abut against the oblique defiecting device 2. The stem 3 cannot pass through said space, though the web 1 can, and consequently thestem is deflected or moved out of its normal 'line of travel intoanother line of travel,

different from its former line of travel; indeed the device acts in themanner of a switch, so that the stem is shifted or diverted from thefeed line 4t into another line of travel 2. The opposite side of theleaf however always remains on the .imaginary line 6. rIhe result isthat the stems 3 as they run successively into contact with thedeflector are moved laterally, or are diverted, and the brushes orrollers put a resistance on the webs 1 which prevent them being as awhole shifted also, and consequently only that part of the webs adjacentto the stems are stretched by the lateral pull of stems 3. The action ofthe defiector is also to straighten the stems. The stems are afterpassing the end of the deflector 2 at once presented to the cutters 5,which sever the stems from the leaves 1.

In Fig. 1, one leaf is shown in full lines, partly in the feed line oftravel, the dotted lines showing its progress firstly in the process ofdeflection, and secondly in the process of it-s having its stem cut off.

The leaf can be fed into the machine when not folded along the/line ofits stem. In that case however there are two deflecting devices 7 8located as shown in Fig. 2. One side of the leaf is operated upon first.one edge yof the stem 3 being brought by the feeding devices against onedeflector 7, and thereby switched from the feed line into another lineof travel, which presents one side of the stern to the cutters 5, thuscutting off one side of the web from the stem. The second deflectingplate 8 is placed farther on, and slopes in the opposite direction tothe other one, and as one side 9 of the leaf is cut from the stem, theother side 10 of the leaf comes under the influence of another set offeed rollers or brushes, and the stem is drawn against the seconddeflector 8, which diverts the stem into a line of travel, thatstretches the leaf and presents the stem to the second cutters 11. Theprinciple is the same in each case, whether a folded or unfolded leaf beacted upon, the main difference being that in one case only onedeflecting plate is used, the leaf being doubled along the line of thestem. In the other case the leaf being opened flat with the web 9, 10,on each side of the stem 3, the stem is first brought against onedeflecting plate 7, and one half 9 of the leaf cut off, then against theother defiecting plate 8, and the other half of the leaf 10 cut off, sothat the stein 3 is entirely removed. Instead of using brushes above,and below for the webs of the leaves, a belt could be used below, andbrushes or feed rolls above. In these diagrammatic views, the Obliquityof the deflectors and other parts are somewhat exaggerated to show mymeaning more clearly.

Figs. 3 to 8 refer to machines where the leaf is folded along the lineof its stem; Figs. 9 to 18 to machines where the leaf is not so folded.

In Figs. 3, lt, 5, and 6, 12 is an endless traveling belt or band ofsteel or some other suitable material preferably of flat section with asmooth surface on which ,the leaves folded along the line of their stemsare laid. The action of the belt is to feed forward longitudinally eachleaf 1 in succession. The said belt 12 is guided around guide rollers 13and 14 and is supported in the interval between the rollers by guides 15channeled at 16 to receive the belt, orthe said guide 15 can be made inthe form of a grid. The belt is suitably tensioned to take up any sag bymeans of the adjusting device 17 by which the guide roller 13 can bemoved longit-udinally. Immediately above this belt at one place, and inproximity thereto is the deflector device 2 with a narrow space 18between it and the belt 12, just wide enough for the folded web 1 of theleaf to pass through, but too narrow to permit of the stem 3 passingthrough. This deflector 2 is located obliquely to the travel of thebelt, and of the leaves thereon, and acts as a deflector for the stems 3of the leaves, while forming no obstacle to the webs 1 of the leavespassing freely underneath it. The deflector 2 is so fixed that it isadjustable vertically by undoing the screws 19, and the slotted holes inthe deflector then permit of it being raised or lowered, and fixed inthe edge of the feed belt may take the place of desired position bytightening up the screws 19. This enables the space 18, between it andthe traveling belt 12 to be varied, and thus enables the thinner part ofthe stem 3 to pass underneath it, together with the whole of the web 1,or if desired to prevent any part of the stem 3 passing underneath. Inconnection with the belt 12 and with this oblique deflecting device 2, Iprovide cylindrical brushes 20 or feed rollers, the axes of which are atright angles to the line of travel, of the belt 12. They can be journaled at 21 in the framework 22, and the deflector is supported byarms 23 located between the brushes, and secured to the framework.

The Obliquity of the deflector 2 can readily be adjusted by providingmeans for adjusting the length of some of these arms 23 or shorteningothers. As the belt 12 travels along, and the cylindrical brushes 20rotate,

they grip the tobacco leaves 1 between them,

that is between the belt and the brushes, and carry the leaves 1positively forward in a longitudinal direction, the leaves beingpositioned on entering the machine by mea-ns of the gage or fence 4against which the stems 3 are made to abut, while the brushes straightenout the leaf, and remove sand and dust therefrom, without howevertearing the leaf or in any way injuring it. These brushes' 2O arearranged each to rotate a little more quickly the nearer they f approachthe delivery end of the machine.

The fence 4 projects above the feed belt 12,

and is adjustable laterally by means of the slots 24 and pins 25, so asto vary the feed line, that is, vary at will the distance between thecutter line and the normal line of travel of the stems 3'before beingdiverted. One end of the oblique defiecting device 2 is adjacent to thefirst feed roller or brush 20 part way across the belt 12, and the otherendis flush with the edge of the moving belt 12, and thus it liesobliquely across the belt, and slightly above it. The cutter or cutters5 are placed beyond, or immediately at the other end of t-he deflector2, but not in a direct line with the fence 4, consequently the leaf stem3 has to be deflected or diverted out of the feed line of the fence 4into the line of the cutter 5, and this is a duty which the deflector 2is designed to perform. The cutting device is composed of an upper brush26, and a lower draw roller 14 geared so as to rotate as a pair, or ifdesired the the lower draw roller 14, and between these the web 1passes. The cutter embodies a circular saw 5 (of thin gage, with fineteeth) at the end of the brush 26, and this overlaps or enters a groove27 in the roller 14.

length of the deflected stem 3, but if the stem 3 has to be shredded, aseries of these draw rollers 29 and cutters 30 are provided to grip thestem, and so arranged that each saw blade 30 rotates in a differentplane (see plan view Fig. 3), so as to shred or slice the stein, and thedraw rollers are geared so as to rotate in pairs; each pair at anaccelerated speed. The driving means consists of a pulley 31 fixed oneach of the series of spindles 32 and a loose pulley 33 running idle oneach of the series of spindles 34, and these spindles have fixed attheir ends the cutter 30 and the draw roller 29 respectively whichlatter has a groove 27 for the cutting saw 30. Each top draw roller 35has a sleeve 36 passing around the spindle 32 and has at one point afixed pulley 37 attached. Opposite pulley 37 is a pulley 38, fixed onthe spindle 34. Pulley 31 drives the saw at an accelerated speed. 39 isan endless driving cord or band, which is passed from the driving pulley40 around one of the pulleys 31, thence around one of the loose pulleys33, and so on around each pulley 31 and 33 alternately, to the guidelpulley 41, then around tension pulley 42 back to the driving pulley 40.A similar driving cord or band passes from pulley 43 on shaft 44 aroundthe series of pulleys 37 and 38, and so around guide or tension pulleyssimilar to 41 and 42 back to the drive pulley 43. The result is thatwhen the driving pulleys 40 and 43 are set into motion, the cords orbands 39 rotate the pulleys 33 and 38 and the pulleys 31 and 37, and sogive motion to the saw cutter 30 and the draw rollers 35 and 29, thelatter rotating at a lesser speed, than the cutting saw 30. Theserollers are arranged collectively in the arc of a circle (Fig. 4), bywhich means considerable space 1s economized and the shredded stems aredelivered directly downward. The cylindrical brushes 20 are arrangedacross the deflector device, there being holes or embayments 44 in thedeflector device, so that the brushes can pass through. The feed rollersor brushes are the full width ofthe feed belt 12. The brushes or rollerscan bc driven in any suitable manner, for example by a driving belt 45passing from a driving pulley 46 around pulleys on the spindles 47 ofthe brushes, and intermediate rollers, in a circuitous path, and thenback to the driving pulley. This is clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, nwhich 48 is the pulley at the end of each spindle, and below these arethe loose pulleys 49. 45 is thc endless belt passing from the drivingpulley 46 around the guide pulley 50, then around the first pulley 48,then around the drum pulley 51, then around the pulleys 48 and 49alternately, and so back to the driving pulley 46, passing on its waythe tension pulleys 52. The cutting saw 5 is driven by chain sprocketwheels 53 and chain 54, deriving their motion direct from the drivingshaft 55. The mode of action is as follows The belt 12 and feed brushes20 carry the leaves along longitudinally, and the brushes 2Ov brush theleaves 1 and remove sand and dust therefrom. In due time one end of thestem v diverted out of its normal line of travel into another line oftravel, different from its former line of travel. The webs or laminas 1of the leaves however, are gripped between the rollers or brushes 20,and the belt 12. The result is that the stem as it runs into Contactwith the deliector 2, is gradually moved laterally or deflected, but thebelt 12 rollers or brushes 20 put a'resistance on the lamina 1, whichprevents the lamina 1 being shifted bodily in a lateral direction also,and consequently the lamina of the leaf adjacent to the stem isstretched, by the lateral pull of the stem 3. r1`he stems are alsostraightened by the action of the de- Hector. The diverted stem 3 is,after passing the deiector 2, at once presented to the cutting device 5,which severs the stem 3 from the leaf 1. It will thus be seen that thestem as it runs endwse against the deflector 2 is diverted from the feedline into another line of travel, stretching the web 1 of the leaf, andbringing the stem 3 into position for being cut off by the cutters 5.The stem of a tobacco leaf is tapered, being considerably larger at Oneend than the other, and in placing the leaves in the machine, the thinend of the leaf is preferably placed foremost, but not necessarily so,as the thick end can if desired, be placed foremost. The stem being thusremoved from the lamina, is neXt carried between the rollers 35 and 27,which being geared together carry forward the stem, and present it t0the shredding cutters 30 in succession, thus shredding the stem, anddelivering the shredded strips at the delivery 56.

All the moving parts of the machine are connected through a series ofgearing so as to be driven from a single prime mover, such as thedriving pulley 57, which is mounted on the driving shaft 55 supported inbearings 58 on the frame 59. 60 is a clutch operated by a handle 61,(similar to that shown in Fig. 18) by which the pulley 57 can be throwninto or out of gear with the driving shaft 55. 62 is the driving chainwhich imparts by means of the chain wheel 63, the motion of the drivingshaft 55 to the driving pulley 64, on the shaft 44, this pulley 64driving the pulley 43 and so imparting motion to the draw rolls 35 and29. On this shaft 44 is also mounted the chain pulley 65, driven by thechain pulley 66, and this pulley 65 drives the belt pulley 40, whichimparts mo-tion by the circuitous driving bands to the saw cutters 30.The

1t is obvious that if desired the belt 12 can be dispensed with andbrushes or rollers used above and below for the webs of the leaves. Thisis shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in which 71 is the feeding belt, 20 one setof brushes above for brushing the uppermost side of the web, and 72 theother set of brushes below for brushing the under face of the web. Inthis case the deflector device may consist of two plates 2, 2, fixed tothe arms 23, but are attached to the framework 22, with a small space 18between, and the deflecto-rs 2, 2, are adjustable so as to vary thedistance between them by slackening up the screws 19 again, as shown inthe holes 73 the plates 2, 2, can be brought nearer together or fartherapart. By tightening up the screws 19 again, as shown in Fig. 8, theplates are locked.

Figs. 9 and 10 show how the leaf can be I fed into the machine withoutbeing folded c.

along the line of the stem. 1n this case the process is substantiallythe same. There are two feed belts 12, 74, and two sets of feed rollersor brushes 20, 75, two deflecting plates 7, 8, and two cutting devices5, 11. One side 9 of the leaf is operated upon first, one edge of thestem 3 being brought by the feeding device, against one deflector 7, andthereby diverted from the feed line, into another line of travel whichpresents one side of the stem 3 to the cutter 5, thus cutting off oneside of the web from the stem. A second deflecting plate 8 is placedfarther on, and is angled in the opposite direction to the other one,and as one side 9 of the leaf is cut from the stem the other side 10 ofthe leaf comes under the influence of the second belt 74, and second setof feed rollers or brushes 75, and the stem 3 is drawn against thesecond deflector 8, which diverts the stem 3 into a new line of travel,

and one set of brushes 72 below for brushing the under face of the web,at the same side of the stem; another set of brushes 75 for brushing oneface of the web at the other side of the stem, and a set of brushes 76below, for brushing the under face of the web at the said other side.There are also two pairs of deflecting plates 7, 7, and 8, 8, and twocutting devices 5, 11. One side of the leaf as before is first operatedupon,

1 first one edge of the stem being brought by ies the feeding device,against one pair of deflectors 7, and thereby deflected from the feedline into another line of travel, which presents one side of the stem 3to the cutter 5, thus cutting ofl one side of the web from the stem. Thesecond pair of deflecting plates 8, 8, is placed farther on, and areangled in the opposite direction to the other pair, and as one side ofthe leaf is cut oft' from the stem, the other side of the leaf comesunder the influence of the brushes 7 5, 76, and the stem 3 is drawnagainst the second pair of deflectors 8, 8, which diverts the stem 3into a new line of travel, stretches the leaf, and presents the` stem 3to the second cutter 11. 71 is a feeding belt for feeding the leavesinto the machine, the said belt returning around the belt pulley 77, tothe other pulley 27. The stem 3 is thus left free to be acted on by thedeflectors 7, 7, and the brushes, and the cutters. 79 are tables whichsupport any port-ion of the web which projects outside the brushes. Forconvenience there is by preference another table 80 at the feed end ofthe machine on which the leaves are laid, ready to be placed on the belt71, with which table 80 the upper length of the belt 71 lies flush. 81is anendless belt, passing from the driving pulley 82 around the guideor tension pulleys 83,then around the pulley 84 of the last of the lowerrow of brushes 76, then around the pulley 85 of the last of the upperrow of brushes 75, and so on alternately and then back to the pulley 82.The other set of brushes 20, 72, are driven by an endless belt 86 from apulley 87 on the same shaft as pulley 82 namely 68. This after passingaround guide pulleys 88, passes first around the pulley 89 at the end ofthe last of the upper row of brushes 20, then around a pulley 90 on thelast of the lower row of brushes 72, and so on alternately around thesepulleys, and finally around guide pulleys 91 baclrto the pulley 87. Themethod of imparting moton to the shaft 68 is by means of the gear wheels60 and 70 from the main shaft which is driven by the pulley 57. is aclutch operated by the handle 61 through the connecting rod 92, andcrank arms 93 and 94. 95 is a spring, the pull of which keeps the clutchnormally out of gear with the pulley, 96 a quadrant with notches for thehand lever 61 to engage in by which the clutch is kept in gear with thepulley 57.

In thus describing my deliecting device as set obliquely to the travelof the leaves, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myselfto a straight oblique line, as it can be curved or any suitable shape solong as it is angled to the line of travel of the leaves.

Vhat I elaim'is:

1. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, a framework, feedingmembers arranged above and below the leaves to be fed through saidframework, a defleeting member for deflecting rthe stem of said leavesinto a different line of travel from the laminae, whereby the lamin isstretched as the same passes through the machine, said deflecting membercomprising a plate set at an angle to the general direction of travel ofsaid leaves and spaced above the lower feeding means for permitting thelaminze to pass beneath the deflecting member but preventing the stem ofthe leaves from passing beneath.

2. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, feeding members arrangedabove and below the leaves designed to be fed through the apparatus, adeflecting plate arranged at an angle to the general travel of saidleaves for deflecting the stem from the direction of travel of thelaminaeywhereby the laminar is stretched, means for adjusting verticallysaid deflecting device, and means for severing the stems of said leaves.

3. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, superimposed feedingmeans for feeding leaves through the apparatus, deflecting meansembodying a plurality of plates set at an angle to the general travel ofthe leaf for stretching the stems of said leaves, means for adjustingeach. of said plates, and means for severing the stems of said leaves. i

4f. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, superimposed leaffeeding means, a leaf deflecting device embodying a pair of platesarranged obliquely to the general travel of leaves to the feeding means,means for adjusting vertically said plates for varying the distancebetween said plates for accommodating the varying thicknesses of leaves,and means for severing the stems of said leaves.

5. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, a framework, feedingbrushes mounted in said framework, a feeding belt arranged below saidfeeding brushes which co-acts with said feeding brushes for feedingleaves through the apparatus, a st em deflecting plate spaced above saidfeeding belt, means for adjusting said stem deflecting plate, and meansfor severing the stems of the leaves moved by said feeding brushes andsaid feeding belt.

6. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves when in an opencondition, a frame- .leaves through said framework, deflecting work,means for feeding leaves through said framework, a deflecting device fordeflecting stems of said leaves from their normal travel, means forsevering the stems from one of their webs after the same have beendeflected from their normal course of travel, a second deflecting platearranged at a different angle from th'e first deflecting plate designedto deiiect in an opposite direction the stems of said leaves, and meansfor severing said stems from the other of said webs.

7. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, a framework, feedingbrushes arranged in said framework, feeding belts arranged below saidbrushes, a deflecting device for4 deiiectingthe stems of leaves as thesame are forced through said framework by said brushes and said belt, acutter for severing one of the webs of said leaves, a second deflectingplate for deflecting the stems of said leaves in an opposite directionto their first deflection, a second set of feeding brushes arrangedabove said second deflecting device, feeding means arranged below saidbrushes, and means for severing the stems of said leaves from the otherweb.

8. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, a framework,- means forfeeding means for deflecting said stems from their normal travel, meansfor severing said stems from their webs, a pair of draw-rollers arrangedto receive said stems and advance the same, one of said draw-rollersbeing formed with a saw blade and the other of said draw-rollers beingformed with a groove for receiving the edge of said saw blade, wherebysaid stem is firmly gripped Iand drawn forward for insuring the entirestem being separated from its web.

9. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, means for removing thestems from.

the laminas, and means for shredding the stems, said shredding meansembodying a series of pairs of rollers between which the stems arepassed, a saw blade at the end of one roller in each pair arranged torotate at a different speed from the roller, the

other roller of each pair being formed with a groove into which saidsaws enter, each of said saws being arranged to rotate in a differentplane so as to shred or slice said stem.

10. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco leaves, a draw roller having asleeve journaled in bearings, a saw blade having a spindle passingthrough said sleeve, a second draw roll having a spindle journaled inbearings adjacent to said first mentioned draw roller, a pair ofpulleys, one fixed on the stem of one roller and the other freelymounted on the spindle of the other rollers, a second pair of pulleysone fiXed to the saw spindle and the other fixed to the adjacent drawrolls spindle, and a pair of endless driving cords or bands passed froma driving pulley around said pulleys, in such a manner as to drive ltherolls and the saw blades at dierent speeds.

ln witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name this 26th day ofSeptember 1908, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK SALOMON.

lVitnesses:

G. C. DYMOND, T. S. SHILLINGTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

